psychopathology Flashcards
the four district distributions of abnormality
statistical infrequency
deviation from social norms
failure to function adequately
deviation from mental health
what is statistical infrequency
people considered as abnormal according to statistically rare behaviour
in statistical infrequency, how is it determined who is statistically rare
normal distribution (probability distribution that appears as a bell curve when plotted on a graph)
IQ level seen as abnormal
IQ below 70
can receive diagnosis of a psychological disorder - intellectual disability disorder
what is deviation from social norms
society has unwritten rules that we refer to as ‘norms’ any variation from these is seen as abnormal
two types of behaviour in deviation from social norms
desirable and undesirable behaviour
those with undesirable as seen as social deviants and therefore abnormal
issues with deviation from social norms
subjective - relies on interpretation
can cause people distress if they are told they are abnormal
labelling - discrimination and prejudice
ethics - assumes everyone should fit the ‘mould’
what is failure to function adequately
cant cope with everyday life which causes stress
due to features such as unpredictability, personal distress, irrationality etc
signs of failure to function adequately
no longer conforming to standard rules
severe emotional distress
behaviour becomes irrational
what is deviation from ideal mental health
have an idea of what a psychologically healthy person looks like and anything different is abnormal
who came up with the 6 characteristics from ideal mental health and what are they
Jahoda
Self actualisation
Personal autonomy
Positive attitudes towards self
Environmental mastery
Accurate perception of reality
Resistance to stress
2 treatments for phobias
flooding
systemic desensitisation
what is systemic desensitisation
behavioural therapy designed to reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning
new response to phobia created through counterconditioning
what is involved in systemic desensitisation
relaxation techniques
anxiety hierarchy
exposure over many weeks
what does flooding hope to teach the patient
confronts patients with their fears and experience no harm or negative outcomes when faced with their fears, so breaks association quickly
what is extinction in flooding
fully removing the fear from the patient
ethical issues with flooding
can be dangerous - anxiety can increase to a high degree
some people might increase fear after therapy
could experience psychological harm
no right to withdraw
could physically harm themselves
hard to fully get informed consent
similarities of flooding and systemic desensitisation
both treat phobias
create new associations with the phobia
based on psychological theory - mainly classical conditioning
differences between flooding and systemic desensitisation
flooding much quicker
SD more ethical
SD more holistic
SD more client controlled
more likely to get psychologically harmed with flooding
characteristics of OCD
obsessive thoughts
anxiety + distress
compulsions
temporary relief
major feature of OCD for most patients
obsessive thoughts - aways unpleasant thoughts that are recurrent, intrusive thoughts, images, urges or impulses
what are compulsions in OCD and what comes after them
repetitive behaviours performed to reduce the fear and anxiety caused by intrusive thoughts and obsession
after there is some temporary relief, however obsessions quick to return
3 biological explanations of OCD
brain structure
neurotransmitters
genetic explanations
part of the brain involved in OCD
orbiofrontal corte
thalamus
caudate nucleus
cingulate gyrus
OFC sends signals to thalamus via caudate nucleus about worries
what does the caudate nucleus do and what happens when it is damaged
surpasses/ regulate signals from OFC
when damaged it fails to suppress ‘worry’ signals and thalamus is alerted which confirms worry signals back to OFC
increases compulsions and anxiety
what neurotransmitter is linked to OCD
serotonin
serotonin levels in people with OCD and what this does
low levels are found in people with OCD
normally sends mood-relevant information, when this doesn’t happen mood and mental processes can be affected
may lead to abnormal functioning in areas of brain involved in OCD
treatment for OCD in relation to serotonin
SSRI’s
type of drug that increases levels of serotonin in the brain
people who take them show a reduction of OCD symptoms
genetic explanation of OCD
it tends to run in families
suggests genetic link
support of this - family and twin studies
problem with genetic explanation of OCD
we cant be sure exactly what is being inherited by the genes as no specific gene has been found
what is the diathesis stress model
suggests that certain genes leave some people more likely to suffer from OCD there is genetic vulnerability that is inherited and if someone with it experiences environmental stress they will develop OCD - helps understand environmental factors
treatments for OCD
(only used if CBT doesn’t work)
antidepressants
SNRI’s
Benzodiazepines
two components of CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy)
behavioural
cognitive
symptoms of depression
sleep too much/ little
eat too much/ little
self harm/ thoughts
loss if interest/ pleasure
low mood
thoughts/ attempts of suicide
categories in the DSM -5
major depressive disorder
persistent depressive disorder
disruptive modd dysregulation disorder
premenstrual dysphoric disorder
behavioural aspects of depression
loss of appetite
loss of interest
trying to look happy
saying/ doing negative things
irritable
substance usage
emotional aspects of depression
cant concentrate
feeling older
loss of confidence
fear of being found out and shamed
feeling isolated
cognitive aspects of depression
negative thinking
lack of memory
according to the cognitive approach, what do individuals with mental disorders suffer from
distorted and irrational thinking
may cause maladaptive behaviour
what did becks cognitive theory consist of
cognitive triad
- negative self -schemes
- faulty information processes
- negative triad
five cognitive biases
overgeneralisation
personalisation
selective abstraction
magnification
minimisation
Ellis’s ABC model
A - activating event
B - belief
C - consequences
